MYSURU: Thousands of people, including Hindu activists and BJP workers, participated in a mega procession to immerse Ganesha idols in strife-torn Maddur town on Wednesday.
Sporting saffron shawls and flags, they chanted ‘Jai Sri Ram’ and raised slogans condemning Sunday’s stone-throwing incident and police action. They also demanded that those who had pelted stones at processionists be arrested.
More than 2,000 police personnel were deployed across the town, although no prohibitory orders were imposed. IGP (Southern Range) MB Boralingaiah supervised the security arrangements.
The procession began at 11am from the premises of the tourists’ bungalow. Security was tightened around the mosques along the procession route.
BJP leaders R Ashoka, BY Vijayendra, former DCM CN Ashwathnarayan and CT Ravi participated in the procession. Hindu activists burst crackers even as folk troupes performed during the procession. The procession passed through Market Circle, MC Road and Kolli Circle. Idols were immersed near Sri Hole Anjaneyaswamy temple and in Uppinakere.
Addressing the gathering, Vijayendra alleged that miscreants deliberately threw stones to disrupt the procession in the town on Sunday.
“Miscreants go to any extent to trouble Hindus. Ganja is sold openly in the town. Hindu women and children cannot walk freely in some localities here. Statements by district in-charge minister Chaluvarayaswamy, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Bhadravathi MLA BK Sangameshwar led to unrest in the town. BJP is not doing politics, it is our duty to safeguard the interests of Hindu activists and organisations,” he said.
Accusing the Congress government of appeasing minorities, Vijayendra demanded that a judicial probe be ordered into police lapses.
“Congress is doing communal politics. Misled by Congress leaders, Muslim youths indulged in violence. The government should have invoked the Goonda Act against those who threw stones at the procession from mosques. Instead, it filed FIRs against innocent Hindu activists,” he alleged.
Siddaramaiah should be sent to Pakistan, says Ashoka
Slamming the State Government, Ashoka said, “It tried to defame Dharmasthala and Goddess Chamundeshwari. Now, it is protecting those who had attacked Ganesha devotees. Siddaramaiah should be sent to Pakistan for appeasing the Muslims. Today the government has banned music in front of mosques, tomorrow it will ban the Ganesha festival.”
“Hindu sentiments have been hurt and Hindus will not tolerate henceforth,” Ravi said.
Later, BJP leaders visited the houses of Ajay, Gangadhar, Shaktiraj and Sagar, who were injured in stone-throwing on Sunday.